14 December 2009

90 Years of Citroën - the Car that Saved a President's Life

In 1955, the future invaded the present and the DS was born. a car famous in the 60s and 70s - it even saved a politician's life. The DS pioneered new technolog, including the extraordinary hydro-pneumatic suspension system. Nowadays these cars sell for anywhere between 10,000 and 25,000 euros. Recently a rare cabriolet DS was sold at auction for 300,000.

In 1962, terrorists attacked President General De Gaulle's official DS, peppering it with bullets and destroying two tyres. Thanks to the unshakable stability of the hydro-pneumatic suspension, the Presidential car swerved away and escaped.

This is the last day of the Citroen parade - thanks to everyone who has come along for the ride...

5 comments:

The parade has been a fun and fascinating adventure. I can still remember the very first time I saw a Citroen and even sat in the back seat. It was the 1964 Los Angeles International Auto Show. But the DS must be the model we know as the DM...for its Maserati engine.

Incredibly advanced car and breathtaking design. The hydraulic system that keeps it level is amazing.

There was a parody version of La Marseillaise going around in a French class I once took that contained the lines, "Aux armes, citoyens! Conduisez un Citroen!" I see that even in the 50s, their style was revolutionary.

I have enjoyed your pictures of the Citroens very much. I was in Arras,France for the 75th Anniversary of the Traction Avant last July. The amazing thing about Citroen was they produced the space age DS in 1955 right along side the 1934 launched Traction Avant! Btw the top two pics are of Citroen SM which was made in only in the 70's. The grey silver car is the DS. Keep up the great car photos.